


after the sirens

by starsflee



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Dissociation, Electrocution, M/M, Mild Gore, Self-Harm, Siren Rhys, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-07 07:15:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7705486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsflee/pseuds/starsflee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jack found the Vault of the Sentinel, it had been Hyperion and Tassiter following him along the way and capturing him in the end. This leads to sirens of the galaxy were collected for experiments so that Hyperion could know what Jack knows. Rhys ends up being captured as one of the sirens mixed up in this whole mess. To fight for one's freedom is one thing, but to fight to save the whole planet of Pandora is another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. damnation is colder than i thought

Everything was cold. Rhys felt stiff, like his blood wasn't flowing properly. The cloth that covered him was thin, paper even, medical and just barely enough to count as a set of clothing. His back was pressed firmly against a metallic table, angled upright with his feet on a ledge. All his limbs were attached to this table with metal cuffs. If he wanted to move, he had the joy of wiggling in place for an excuse of exercise.

The worst thing (in the endless list of horrible things Rhys could spout out at this very moment) was the fucking I.V. like needles stabbing his spine through slots in his solid bed. Every second, every beat of his heart made them throb, knowing that every moment that passed he was being poised. Pushed even further to an edge he would never come back from.

If he ever said anything bad about Pandora, he would love to take it back. He would eat his damn words on a plate with a tall glass of Skag piss to wash it down. Hell, even facing a raging goliath would be preferable to this. At least then he would know his death would be quick, albeit bloody.

Instead, he was going to die by the hands of Hyperion. _Fucking Hyperion._ He didn't care how accurate their pistols were, or perhaps how at one time he felt a tad fond of their black and red color scheme. No, there was no love for a company who was holding him captive and draining him for all he was.

He dared to open his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping, couldn't really. The damn shit they were pumping through him pretty much denying him of any human-like functions. So every couple of hours (or was it days?) he would take minute pleasure of the tactility of his eyes peeling away from each other.

Yep. What a surprise. Rhys was still very much in hell.

The room hummed with electronics, a bubbling sound that was flowing fluid to him and the other ‘guests’. Or so _they_ kept calling them, the other guests being three other sirens. All of which were receiving the same _hospitality_ as himself, constant purple fluid injections and all.

In the center of the room was a man, his head tilted back at the ceiling. His eyes were open but they were not seeing if their glazed over nature was telling. Kneeling on a platform of light, there were dozens of cords plugged into his body and head. He had monitors about him, they buzzed with images of things, so fast you could hardly make sense of it all. Sometimes it was just static. The man had a constant scowl on his face, but the only way Rhys could tell was because of his eyes and above. Any lower on his face was this rather sadistic muzzle. One could even see bolts and swollen puslike skin where it had been _drilled into his jaw_.

Surrounding this man was the other sirens, their markings glowing at a constant rate. Closet to Rhys on his left was a woman with blue hair. In contrast to himself, and the woman across from him with red hair, her face was always calm. Every once and awhile she would grimace in pain, but it was always forced back. Rhys wondered where she had learned such restraint. The redhead, on the other hand, looked angry at all points in time, though Rhys couldn’t blame her in the slightest. He wished he had the energy to be angry. He wished he had the energy for anything at this point.

The last siren in the room hardly looked an adult and was the most drained out of all of them. He figured she had been their the longest. Her hair was black, but she only had half a full head of it. The other side was hooked to large computers, the ports linking right into her scalp.

From what he could gather, the man in the center of the room was linked to her, and she to the whole room. With every ounce of him being drained, he was sure he and the other two sirens were just energy siphons.

 _For what?_ Fuck if he knew.

He had had his daily (or was it weekly…) glance at the room with glassy eyes, hardly remarking that scientists were moving about the room as they seemed like background noise. Sometimes they poked and prodded at him but his skin was made of silicone and had no feeling anymore. It was time to shut his eyes again, maybe this would be the time when he would die.

God he didn't want to die. But he just couldn't fucking _bother_ anymore.

Maybe he would just pretend to sleep for another unaccountable amount of time…

 

\---

 

_͓C̳̻̝̝͚̱̹a̼̼͢n̟͈̫͞ ̸͉͓̻͎̘ͅͅy̲̟͚͔͍̩o̸͎̥͔̪u͈̱͎͇ ̰͎̜h͙̮̦̬e͟ạ̛r ̲̲̫̤̠̤͜ṃ̯̰̻̪̲e̷̻.͏ͅ.̟.̹̳͚̥͡.̝?̪_

_R̴̻̳̖̀ͅ-̦-҉҉̲͉-̨҉͔͈̜̠-̲̪̯̲͕͡-̯̩͎R̰̤h̜̦͍̹̭̮̗̀͟y̷̟̲̬͇̭͇̥̜s͈͍͜͡.̶̡͍̣̱̰̤̺̼͕̮͟.͍̦͟͞?̥̩̯͎͔͖̱͈͢_

There was a humming in his temple, it felt warm and buzzed at his skin. He didn't even bother to open his eyes but there was a small joy in feeling some sort of sensation.

_R̵̊h͚̫̤̜̹̾̏̀y̱͔̞̼̪͇̲ͨͯ̎̌̓s̸͇̤̝͎̉̌ͨ̊̚̚_

It was only a thought, but he responded to the… voice? It wasn't really a voice but more a feeling that was attaching itself to words. The shape of words. God damn he was losing it. It was only a matter of time before his mind would start to eat away.

_P͇͓̙le͚ͧ̄̅ͣ̈́a̻̜̹͈ͬ̋̎̉́͐̾s̞̒ͣ͋͌̍̀͘ȩ̘̯͎͍̗̝͚.̯̱͈͔̒͑.͖̱̗̟̺͎͆.̗̿ͫ ͕̲͔͇͉̮̈͡_

“ _Yeah…?”_

_“Oh-oh my g--od-d, I-I-I got through!”_

The sound (it wasn’t a sound, it felt like running a hand over an old cathode ray television but it was running over his gray matter) was still broken up, but he could have _sworn_ it sounded like a young girl.

 _“I---d-d-_ ont _have much time. Will-will y-you help me, Rhys?”_

Why the hell not is what he thought, and apparently said so to this voice (it wasn’t a _goddamn voice_ ).

“Good. I’ll talk to you soon. _Y-you are not a-a-alone Rhys.”_

Rhys thought how farther from the truth that could possibly be. He squeezed his hands and was surprised that he even felt the sensation. It was almost like a projection of himself to watch as the real Rhys was on the table, pale and veins popping in an eerie shade of purple.

No, no, _no._  Rhys was alone.  
  
  
  
  



	2. blood to bleed

Rhys wished he could tell time so that he could pinpoint the exact day that he gave up all hope. To know how long it took for him to break down, to know just how weak he really was. The past Rhys would never have thought of himself as such, he had gone through a lot to just live to this day. Growing up on Pandora was a gamble in itself, but he had made some shady deals in the past that he was lucky to leave with most of his limbs. But he had made it, and he had great friends who he called family. 

God, what were they thinking now? He just disappeared without a trace. He could see them searching, he knew they would. That gave him no solace as he knew he would never be found, or even if he was, Hyperion had more arsenal then a group of bandits could ever acquire. 

The thought of his friends lying dead in the Pandoran sand, their blood drying and cracking on the ground made his mouth taste sour. If he could vomit, he was sure he would at that moment. 

A sound of a clear clicking on the floor echoing silenced the normal hum of voices in the room. The sudden change of atmosphere was enough for Rhys to pry his eyes open, surprised at the slight spike of his heart rate elevating. Before his eyes even focused, there was something that was just screaming danger.

Nervous scientists lined the walls in an orderly line, fidgeting in place, looking over notes in haste. The clicking grew louder, the tempo matching the sound of hard, pointed shoes. The man in the middle of the room, who hardly ever moved or even blinked most times, shifted. The one arm he had left was chained behind his back stiffened, a fist forming. 

The cause for such tension was anti-climatic at best, Rhys thought. It was a tall man, not taller then Rhys however, but he was skinny, frail looking, receding hairline of age and so greasy looking. He stood out because of his very expensive looking suit, a fashion almost unseen on Pandora. The crest on his lapel and matching colors could only mean one thing and that was a very high ranking Hyperion employee.

Walking into the room, he stopped to inspect his surroundings with a sneer on his face. With a quick flick of the wrist and a sharp snap of the fingers causing all the little people in white coats to jump, he said with a voice to match his complexion, 

“Report. Why have we not met the projected deadlines as discussed?” 

If they were fidgeting nervously before, the scientists were panicking now. A few mumbled but no clear words were spoken in response. With some long strides, he stepped in front of the head scientist. Boney, twig like fingers reached to the man's jacket, making him gasp. The lapels were straightened with a sharp tug.

“Philbert, that is correct isn’t it?” The scientist nodded, a few strands of his thinning hair falling in front of his face. The taller man then moves to brush some dust off of the shaking man's shoulders. 

“How is your wife? When was she due again? Oh, thats right, it was a few weeks back wasn’t it. Boy or girl?” Still very much in the scientists space, but he only stuttered and shook his head.

“Ah, how could I forget. You are all in radio silence in this lab.” He steps back and paces slightly, shoes once again clicking with each step on the cold tile, “That's because this project is so important, so critical to Hyperion. Not even just that, to Pandora, which I know some of you have family on this planet. This work you are doing is revolutionary to the neighboring galaxy.”

A pause, it almost seemed an inspirational speech until the thin man turned on a heal, voice growing gravely, “So why is it that you ingrate imbeciles have made zero progress in the past few weeks. I gave you all the resources you could ever need, how many sirens could you possibly need to break one man's mind!”

This Philbert looked like he could pass out from the pressure, “Mr. Tassiter… S-sir…” Holy shit, the CEO and President of Hyperion…? Before much else could be thought, the sentence was broken by a sudden amused huff that filled the room. 

All eyes, including Rhys’ moved to where it came from, to the man on center display in the room. For once, he was sitting tall, even with his restraints and legs locked under him. The only expression shown was his gaze, but it was strong and damn if his eyes didn't glint with beguile. Rhys had a sudden pang of admiration for the strength for the man to even raise his head with all the hell he must have been going through. 

Tassier turn, his expression of anger slacking at the sight of his project in the room. “Oh, John, it’s only you.” 

Now his attention was on … John? “You know, John, I never get tired of seeing you tied up like the filthy dog you are. It was probably one of my best ideas when I decided to muzzle that treacherous little mouth of yours. You did never know how to shut it, so what a pleasure to not have to hear that slimy little voice of yours.”

John’s gaze didn't waver, Rhys could almost picture that expression matching some sarcastic comment to Tassister. The CEO looked frustrated to say the least, he continued to prod and jab at John with comments. He talked about how he was always a poor employee, how this was the only way he was of any use to anyone. This catalyst. If anything, the slander was only making John puff up in amusement even more.

Just when Rhys thought that the silent man was winning this one sided argument with deminer alone, Tassiter turned. He walked passed the man on the platform, behind him where his eyes couldn't follow, only being able to turn his head so far. 

The greasy man was approaching the girl, the siren all hooked up to this fucked up shit show. Rhys could feel his contempt rising but continued to watch this scene unfold before him and everyone. Useless. 

“And how is our Angel doing today?” Her bright blue eyes grew large, lips pursing together into a line. If a look could tell a history, this was one, and it was not a good story to hear.

“I see. Still a little nervous around me. The harm is done, I’m afraid. Your father did it to himself. But you, my dear, did the right thing. With you, we can have a brighter future. Don’t you want that, Angel?” 

Little black haired eyebrows knitted together, and she looked so tired. It must have been a line she heard often, just how long had the two of them been here? Father and daughter…?

“Don’t you worry, my dear, I will take good care of you.” A gross, vile, slimy hand reached up to caress her face. John was attempting to scream, shaking his restraints, Angel herself seeming to resign to the touch with disdain. 

“Leave her alone”

All eyes were on him, Rhys. He blinked, words had just left his mouth. They felt foreign, broken and dry. He was angry, of all the days he had been strapped to this table, he felt rage again. How beautiful such a horrid moment could feel.

Clicking once again filled the silence. The CEO was now in front of him, Rhys being able to get a good look at the drooping, sleazy face. At this time he was sure that his expression was less than threatening to Tassiter. Tired, bags under his eyes, pale and skin sticking to his protruding bones. 

“Oh, so you are the new boy I have heard so much about. Still a little feisty I see.” The old man's words felt like acid in his ears, he knew. Of course he knew, everyone in this room had to know. Still didn't sting any less.

“Let me show some hospitality then, boy.” Again, with the taunting tone. “Let me explain how things work here.

You are now the property of Hyperion. I see that makes you angry. Yet your frustrations are displaced, it is not I you should feel resentment for. Or even Hyperion, as they are trying to solve an epidemic much larger than yourself. If anything, you should be proud of being apart of such a revolution. But I digress. 

Rhys, my boy, if you feel any animosity, direct it to John over here.”

Rhys’ eyes darted to the man spoken of, who eyes also glanced his way. It was the first time they locked glances, but it was only for a moment. Was there guilt when John looked away…?

“You see, John here had stumbled on something rather curious in his unapproved adventures all over Elpis. Being the selfish man that he is, he kept it all to himself. He didn't even understand what he even found. Our company that he worked for, the great Hyperion, has the resources to use this...power… This knowledge. And John, being the ungrateful bastard he is, turning his back on the company that kept clothes on his family's back,” Tassiter threw a glance back at John as he spit the last few words out of his mouth. 

“John betrayed Hyperion by refusing to let us help him.”

Tassiter stepped closer, a hand resting on Rhys’ table bed, a small smile of almost fondness on the grimey little lips of his. Rhys wanted to squirm away but he felt that might be a small victory to the man that he wasn’t willing to give. 

“John needed some persuading, and with Angel’s help, he was able to find us what we needed. He told us it was sirens. He told us where you were. You were a slippery little one, Rhys, I will give you that. But you were nothing compared to the Vault Hunters around you. And in the end, you are here.”

Hands on his own tie, as if Tassiter had just given a rousing, moral boosting sermon that he was proud to spout. Rhys processed what had been said, as cryptic as it still was. None of them wanted to be here, that was for sure. What ever this epidemic was, this greater good, it wasn't good enough for the five of them to willingly help and needed to be captured. 

Words seethed Rhys’ tongue, even able to amount a small size of spittle as he spoke, “Fuck you, old hag of a slag bag.”

He could hear the scientists gasp but more loudly was his head being bashed against the metal table. The shake reverberated through his whole being, thin fingers with just enough nail dug into his jaw. 

“Listen here, you little abomination. The only reason why your Pandora contaminated skin is alive is because you have been blessed with siren powers, as much as you try to run from it, disgusting freak. You should be kissing my boots clean, thanking me as your god that I let you live and be useful. Filthy fucking bandit!”

Tassiter was shaking, red with exasperation. His grip on Rhys’ face had only dug in with his outburst, but still, Rhys felt a swell of confidence that he had shaken such a powerful man. Oh, how if he wasn't restrained, his powers could flow and this man would be no more than blood and visceral on the floor. The thought alone was enough to emote a tired grin on the young man's face. 

“No matter what you think, you worthless perverted slime ball, no matter what you do. You are never going to win, Hyperion scum.” 

Rhys deflated slightly, Tassiter had turned away. Did he really win, whatever this verbal spatter was? He stared at the back of the man's head, the greying hair and toupee of darker hair on top. 

Tassiter walked to a scientist, all of whom had been starting while Tassiter bounced between their subjects. None had a word to say when he picked a pen out of one of their pocket protectors. Not a sound was uttered as he then turned and lunged at Rhys.

Rhys had had his flesh arm cut and ripped from his shoulder socket by bandit mercenaries, but he had to think that being stabbed repeatedly in his torso, digging deeper and deeper into the same hole was even more comparable in pain. 

Rhys screamed, each thrust of that fucking pen not just leaving a hole but a carved piece of flesh away. His blood was spraying on Tassiter’s face and the floor, his shirt all but gone in a mesh of his own thews and gore. 

He watched in horror, each hole that was made into his flesh. The blood poured out and a foreign purple oozed. It seemed that each new wound was followed by an old one starting to close on itself. He should have passed out, the pain was too much. He could see chunks of his skin on the floor in front of him but yet the lesion was stitching itself together.

Once the CEO had had enough, tossing the pen to the floor, panting. Rhys still cried, trying to curl into himself but unable. 

“Eridium. You feel it, boy? Heals faster than any medicine, makes you all the most powerful sirens in the universe. But you are mine. You hear me? MINE. This is your blessing and curse, this Eridium is your leash. You can’t leave me. You need this to survive. So be a good little siren and do as I say. Keep your smart little tongue still and I just might let you keep it.”

Tassiter stomped out, casually wiping a hand on a white lab coat of one of the scientists. 

“Clean this mess up, I expect a full report on my desk by the end of the day. I want results, we have been sitting too long on this and we have to move. You understand?”

The employees of the room united in a ‘Yes, sir!’ and the CEO and his guards left the lab. Not a second was wasted. They scrambled, ripping Rhys out of his soiled clothes and putting him in new ones, his wounds all healed but leaving warped and swollen flesh.

He closed his eyes and cried. He let hands shake him and move him how they pleased, but he was so tired. Not a tear could make it down his face, he was too drained, to dehydrated, too tired. 

If his eyes had been open, he could have seen the glances from the other victims in the room. How the redhead and blue haired siren had a look of confidence, an energy that wouldn't have been found before. How the dark haired younger siren had a look of sadness but also thankfulness, she knew how it could have gone for her and yet it hadn't. 

John, well he was staring at Rhys in thoughtfulness. As Rhys spaced out for hours after the visit, the man just watched him and tried to figure out where he could place him.

Just where was Rhys in this future?


	3. phosphenes

_ “Ǐ͐̐͏̜̩̺̮̯̜͈͉̭ ̲̘̓͂̄ͬ̕d̴̦̝̤̙̍ͩͬ̊̔̒̇̋̄ͅo̻̘̾ͫ̓͜͢͡n̲̥͚̘͓ͨͭͨ̉̊ͨ͊̚͡’̊̒̾̄̄̾ͪ҉̩͍͟t̨͕̬̤̠͖̠ͬ͋͑ͮ̋̉͌͢ ̛̤̳͕̬̘̝̻͙̇͊͐̽͆̽ų̶͉͈͔͇͕̯̆̽ͅn͉͔̲͙͍̳̠ͯͭ̈̀ͅd̸̬͕̫̬̰͇̟͑̋͊ͯͪ̎͡ę̵̠͖͕̺͙͚͙̤̰ͨͯ̀ṙ̞͊̏͟ş̡ͪ̏͏̠͚ť̻͚̈̊̒ā͔̪̱̹̠̙̳̟̒̓ͤ̑͗ͣ́͢n̪̻͓̊́͋͗ͮ͜͡d̢̛̟̙͂ͣ̀ͩ̅͜…̛̥̭̣̭̜ͪ͌̌̚ͅ _

  
  
  


_ W̬̟̯̹ͮ͌̈ͧͯh̭̗̻̫̙̪̺͒̃̓y̯̜͉̮̺̻̻ͯ ̑͒͒̃̊͑͆d̬̜̞̙͊ͩ̋̀͋ͤͅͅi̞̝̙̘͈̳ͯ̋́ͫd̺͚̥̫̲͎̎̾ͩ͊̃ͩ ̞̞̺̃ͨ̒̽ȳ͒ő̼̖̭̣̔ͬu̯̜̺…͓̋ͯ?̞̠̬̆” _

  
  


He had been asleep. It had to have been weeks because he had forgotten how it could feel. Rhys had no dreams, it was just emptiness for a few hours. Perhaps the exertion of being mauled by a madman and a pen could do that to you, with or without Eridium.

Eridium, huh.  _ Fuck _ . Rhys knew very little about the rare mineral that had cropped up on the planet only a few years before, but what he knew was not great stuff. The monster like fauna that natively inhibited Pandora was horrific enough, but ever since the rumors of that first vault opened and some purple crystal started appearing, it all got just a fraction crazier. People were losing their minds ever since DAHL left their mining camps on the planets caverns, but this was just adding a little seasoning to the type of insane. Animals were getting bigger and larger, more vicious.

 

“ _ Yo-ou d-distracted him… o-o-on purpose… didn’t you…” _

_ “Rhys…” _

 

That warmth in his temple. He could now pinpoint it to almost a fever of hot flesh feeling around his ECHO port. The computer port had long since been removed, a metal socket open in his skull. They had actually been very careful to remove it, perhaps hoping to extract information from it. Rhys wasn’t that dumb, it had GPS locations of caches and safe houses. The security walls were hand built from the ground up, a language only he and a few others could decipher. Without certain passwords and backdoors to enter, the device was set to erase itself. Only those Rhys trusted wholly had been given access to it, in case something ever happened to him.

He was confused when the static startled him awake. Without his implant, he couldn't receive a call or anything of the sort. Not that this… thing… was a call or even a voice.

 

_ “Can you hear me… please…” _

 

There was distress in this congealment of diction. It was almost like the could peel away some of his thoughts to travel closer to it. With a slightly clearer head after his attempt at sleep, and a tight closing of his eyes, Rhys attempted to reach out to the static.

It felt like pushing aside tall brush, using long legs to take extended steps. It was warm, a humming, a tingle on his skin. It almost felt peaceful, and safe. 

He let it engulf him, in this mindspace. There was nothing to see, but instead of blacks that one could find in the depths of a mind, it was shades of grey's. Soft sun blobs that appear on bright days danced against his sclera, floating aimlessly, out of sight and unfocusable. 

This wasn’t a real place, it was just some weird projection his mind was creating, but he could almost feel his limbs move to sit in the middle of this glowing void. With the warmth, he could swear he felt a breeze, the kind that would come from sitting on cliff tops overlooking the horizon. It kissed his face like a kindly baking sun against tan skin. More than anything he felt homesick.

He stayed in that place, just being. He wasn’t in that lab and he was taking much solace in the reprise. He wanted to cry, to be honest, the release of so many emotions bottled inside him. But still he sat.

It wasn’t long before the space grew brighter, against closed eyelids it's started glowing in a soft pink this world. It was here, wherever here was and whatever it was. That voice, the sound, the echo, the  _ feeling. _ He couldn't describe it even if he had to but he could pinpoint it like a smell  can remind you of a memory.

 

_ “You made it.” _

 

A glowing specter was now in the space, an almost embodiment to the inflection he had been experiencing. Perhaps Rhys should have been startled, but he was way too into the feeling of relaxation that was blanketing his mind. A soft glance was all he responded to the statement sent towards him.

_ “I knew you could do it.”  _  Was that… was that a giggle? As hard as it was to focus on the constantly fluctuating shape in front of him, it was about the size of a person. A smaller one, but the idea was there.

 

_ “How are you feeling, Rhys?” _

 

This being spoke to him through memories, it was fragments of old feelings and situations that formed a sentence. Rhys had to say it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. 

 

_ I’m alive. _

 

That was all he could muster back, finding it harder then this apparition to communicate in a static subspace. There was a wash of warmth, a young girl dancing in a sundress, he could feel a smile growing on a face somewhere in space and time. 

 

“ _ You are very brave. I am  _ so _ sorry you had to deal with such pain because of me....” _

 

_ Because of you…? _

 

_ “They have all tried to fight, we all did. You have to believe how hard they struggled. Rhys, we are so tired. And everyday grows closer…” _

 

Rhys could have sworn he saw those blue,  _ blue _ eyes before, feeling much like a premonition. How could he have memories of things that have never happened?

 

_ “So much pain...So much suffering… _

 

_ Rhys...Will you help me?” _

 

This had happened before, not as clear as it was now but that same voice, feeling, pure  _ energy _ had asked him the same previously. 

Rhys felt so safe, so at home. This being was so sad, why was it sad? How could he help? Anything,  _ anything, just please smile again. _ He needed it to be happy again, so much so he was aching in his bones. 

There was a sudden jolt, like his powers flowing through him but for a mere millisecond. He smacked his head against the table, gasping loudly. He knew, he  _ knew. _

Scientist scrambled to him, yelling at what was wrong, prodding his body as if they owned it more then he. He didn't care, he let them. 

Rhys was focused on one thing, a set of eyes across the room. The soft blue,  _ blue  _ eyes looked back.  Her face round, soft but so tired for a girl so young. She had seen more suffering than many could even comprehend. She looked back at him. 

 

_ Angel. _

  
“ _ You are not alone Rhys.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was thinking about how i am going to update this, but i think i'm just going to write and go with the flow. sometimes it will be fast, sometimes slow. please have patience with me as we go through this story together :)
> 
> if anyone would like to lend a hand with beta-ing, shot me a line at oblivion-is-destiny.tumblr.com
> 
> the chapter title is the name of the sensation that happens to your eye with pressure or exposed light, as that was kinda the tone i was going for this chapter. fairly abstract, yeah? 
> 
> thanks for everything, my loves. you make my heart skip a beat <3


	4. rapturous of rapture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is as long as the whole fic is to this point. ha.

The energy in the lab was tense at best.

After Tassiter’s visit, with Rhys’ outburst and then a second one randomly in the night, everyone was fidgeting. Even the sirens. For once, he was sharing glances with them, long and thoughtful. He wished he could tell them what he knew, give them some warning. Hell, some _hope._ Even the ever stoic John was letting their eyes lock for longer than a few seconds.

Angel had told him almost everything he could have needed, even with it being just a split second to fill his mind with the information. It felt like it had already happened, living it out again and again in Rhys mind.

They were going to escape. _They were going to escape._

Angel was a powerful siren, more than he had even known to exist. She could travel in information, the ECHO net was like just a pond for her to easily skip rocks over. It was baffling to think of all her young mind must be holding, and Rhys had only seen a grain of it.

 

The restraints around all their necks harnessed their siren abilities, but even so, Angel was able to reroute herself, somehow, and with Rhys being half cybernetic anyway, he was a prime candidate to connect to. Even with an empty port, the wiring was all there and able to connect to his eye. Not to mention it was hooked to the receptors that connect to his arm. He was still surprised they kept it on him, perhaps the hodgepodge of Pandoran scrap make it look less than interesting. When it was made, the care was put under the dented shell, and that's all that had ever mattered to Rhys.

A part of the plan was for Rhys to use his powers, that of electricity. He had never employed it very often be that ever since he was young, he was to hide who he was. In every sense of his being, so when he had let loose, it was wild and downright volatile. He was lucky he had never murdered anyone he cared for, but he still had blood on his hands.

Though, who on Pandora didn’t to some extent.

It was time, it had to be. His palms collected sweat, and his eyes darted between Angel and the rest of the room. She seemed so calm, even though the other captives in the room were picking up on Rhys’ anxiety. She seemed so… accepting. Was it because she had thought this all out, how every angle could work out? Rhys was going to be a machine, the weapon to bust them out. He had no problem being as such.

_“I believe in you.”_ Words he had never heard out loud in the girl's voice, but still, the memory cropped up in his mind.

God, he could almost taste the fresh, scorching Pandoran air.

If there was a clock in the lab, one could listen to it tick. Instead, Rhys listened to his heart beating deep in his ears. Waiting, _waiting._ It could have been seconds or hours, but it came all the same.

“Rhys!” A weak, scratchy but familiar voice screamed into the room, making every single body jump in place. She shook with force and her powers pulsed through the room like a wave.

It seemed like should have all happened faster, but time was going so slow. The surge of power through him. It trickled back into his veins like little stabbing needles.  He exploded it without a second thought, the collar was gone. He had forgotten how light he could feel, static raising him off the bed and bursting his bonds with electric snaps. Nothing was holding him back and he was powering on. The table behind him was now a crater, deformed mass of molten metals. Shouts of injured scientists where white noise to him as shrapnel of his restraints flew into the room.

Rhys felt his throat go raw but he had no recollection of screaming. Too much, _too much. So good._

He had no bones anymore, marrow now rods of galvanized energy. His eyes looked blind, his sight burning and radiated smoke. He could only see the glowing outline of the bodies around him, heat signatures of panicked scientists and now guards coming into the fray. They lunged towards Rhys.

The sedatives, a warning from Angel. _Avoid them, get to the ground. It's all you have to do._

Did they really think they could take him down?

“Don't make me laugh.” A voice, ethereal, haunting and echoed in the metallic halls. It was his own. This caused hesitation for his attackers.

He was floating now, wings extended behind him. His markings burned violently with a blue flame. There were wide eyes on him, some in horror, but the ones that mattered was determination. Angel’s.

_I want to see you smile again._

Even though he had never seen it in the first place.

He formed a fist and pounded it straight into the floor with more force than he had ever thought possible. His eyes couldn't take in the information before him. A shock wave pulsed through the room, almost sucking in time with it. Things hovered, held in suspension with just the static pull of it all. As still as that second seemed, it was over in a flash, warping closer to Rhys and then blasting out.

Wires snapped and crackled, screens and equipment exploded. The guards closest to where glued to the ground with the current from his body. Their shoes melting to the floor and equipment burning to their skins. Most things that were not bolted down were thrown against walls, even some scientists.

A moment of reprieve, he panted and gasped for air. There was a second to take in his amazement of his own feat when he noticed how his glow was starting to mix with other shining colors. The other sirens. Rhys power blast had worked. It has caused a blackout that was enough to let them break free. Blue hair, Maya as he could recall, used a phase blast to push away all restraints around her. She floated above the ground with her wings open, eyes glowing just as violently as Rhys’. Lilith was leaving her own trail of molten metal in her wake, table dissipating into no more than smoke and liquid. She grabbed at the throat of a guard in front of her. He didn't even have a second to scream before he just popped, boiling blood splattering the walls, visceral just plain liquefied.

“Fuck _yes!”_ Lilith howled “ _This_ is why you don't _fuck with sirens_ , you slagged skag fucking _bastards_!” Her voice was a savage melody in the lab, louder then one should be able to project their human voice box.

As fast as it had been pushed out, Rhys felt more energy coiling back to him. Just a simple hand to the sheet metal floor, he could feel every cord, every single wire, and extension of the whole complex. He could even sense the lines of silicon in every chip in every computer. He could hardly make sense of it all. It was a web, a mass of scribbled patterns imprinting in his mind. A monster heart with a pulse in the nonfeeling building, where every dip and pull of electric current was being diverted like blood in one's system. He could feel himself draining it from the whole plant, not just the room. Where was it all going? Surely he was bound to burst at this rate.

But oh sweet lord, how _euphoric_ this felt.

Not even thinking about the motion, he grabbed the nearest scientist to him. She was younger, a lab tech at most. He could recall her speech pattern of stuttering in front of her superiors. She had been trying to scramble away, metal lodged in her leg as she drug herself along. Blood trail in her wake.

Maybe he should have felt guilty for watching his power surge through her, for hearing her scream as her eyes bleed out of their sockets. Maybe he should have cared how he made her skin crackled under his grasp. How it pulsed and snapped away at her snews, growing blacker until she finally caught aflame. She was long dead before and of that happened, but Rhys just watched it unfold. _He had this power_. Letting her crumbling body fall before him, Rhys stepped over the muck of her remains of ash and gore that was burning into the floor.

_How glorious._

His eyes were still fairly unseeing, but he could feel the other two sirens in the room, moving their way out and just clearing house. Foreign blood on his skin tingled, and he even licked his lips to try and remind himself how real this was. The sharp copper taste was enough to be, yes, yes this was very real.

_Two sirens… Where was…_

_Focus, we are not out of this yet._ His eyes scanned the room, most lifeforms were dead now or would be in a few short sweet moments. He could feel more coming from outside the lab, but for this very second, he was in no immediate danger. His gaze glazed over to a form of a man, the shape of the broad shoulder and angular face was enough to identify them as John.

John had ripped himself from every cord being plugged into him, also being released from any locked bonds with Rhys’ power surge. The man was bleeding heavily and limping but he was pulling uselessly at a large metal table slab that had fallen over, his one arm no longer able to gain leverage or strength to pull it up.

“Kid, we have to move.” Maya was beside him, a knit in her brow was just as calm as always. In each hand, she held plasma blasts like a cocked weapon. “Lilith ran off, we need to get her and _get out of here_.”

Rhys looked over to the struggling man, he was no siren that was for sure. Maybe he wasn’t going to survive anyway, though he was important enough for this whole operation to be created.

Any other thoughts stopped when he followed John’s wild gaze, where a tattooed arm lay sticking out of the fallen table.

He dashed to the table, faster than a human could force their muscles to move. The siren behind him screeched, the most unsettling sound he had ever heard. _“We have to go now!”_

“I can’t leave her.” Rhys though he had whispered it, the heat in the room dropping as if to collect frost on the very words. John’s head snapped to him, eyes wide, his shouting being muted by his screwed shut jaw and metal muzzle.

Maya wavered, had she figured the girl already dead, not willing to let their body count rise? “You have five minutes, we are going to find the hanger.” With a zip of light, she was gone.

John hadn't stopped his screaming, pulling at the table. The man was bleeding profusely and losing energy. Rhys set his feet on the floor, a conscious effort needed as he had been floating this whole time. He did his best to reign in his powers, not wanting to meld the table to Angel. It was a struggle, he closed his eyes and found himself screaming again. How do you stop an overflowing dam that had just broken wide open, torrents crushing all in its path? He pushed it to his feet, feeling how they were starting to singe the floor.

They power cords in the room started to spark madly as he pushed the energy back into the system. John stared at him with wide unhinged looking eyes, awash with wariness.

Rhys now could feel his hand as flesh again, almost like every cell was anew. He touched the table with hyper sensitivity and then heaved. Normally he would never be able to move such a sturdy piece of equipment, but it was only his hands-free of power. His muscles were still pulsing with inhuman strength.

With great restraint, he peeled the piece of equipment off the girl. His relief was palpable, a wave gently pulsed from him and washed the room. He could just _feel_ she was alive, as injured as she was. John grabbed a frail hand, feeling for a pulse, trembling wildly all the while. When he was happy with what the results returned, he tried to pull her into his singular arm.

This man must not have much experience with only having one upper limb, as apparent as it was from fresh scarring on his limb and how clumsy he was with only one appendage. Rhys would know, having spent over a good year with only one working one himself.

He started feeling like the energy he had was draining, and surprisingly fast. No, no, no _they had to make it out._ He couldn't be done now. Not after how _great_ this felt. He needed to escape, sure, but he only wanted freedom so he could enjoy in this bliss at this moment, this over-stimulation and just plain _power._

Even with this want, however, Rhys pulled back on himself, even more, to reach out to the passed out girl. John flinched with a large jerk, trying to shield her.

“I swear, I just want to get her out. Get you both out…” Rhys’ voice echoed from his throat with an eerily hollow sound.

It only took a moment of consideration to realize that Rhys was the best option for getting Angel out alive. Rhys grabbed one arm of the dark haired girl and John the other. No more hesitation, they darted out the lab door that had been blown open.

They dashed as fast as John could manage down a maze of halls. Rhys only had to dust fingertips against the wall to feel the current, the wireframe and makeup of the compound. The whole place was much larger than he had thought. Alarms haunted them around every corner but no living beings could be found. Carnage was about, however, showing the path the other sirens had carved. Rhys felt his heart seize momentarily when he thought of how he longed to just end _one_ more life.

In this compound, because of all that had happened in the lab. For revenge. To right the wrongs done to him.

That was it. _That was the only reason._

Rhys followed this map he was drawing in his head, figuring he was getting close to a generator station that had to be outside. Not sure where else he could go, he was just following the source of it all. Perhaps it was a poor plan, but he could name a number of things to blame at the moment. He had wished Angel had given him some more advice or even was conscious to be in the moment with him.

The plan was not wrong in the end, as the trio ran into Maya and Lilith at the end of a hall. Before them was a massive door, seemingly on lockdown with several locked layers. Lilith was roaring, enough to shake the floor and loose tiles, each fist the pounded into the structure melting it away but not nearly enough to get through or even make a large enough hole escape.

Maya was glazing her hands around the edge of the door as if trying to sense some weakness to blast through. Hearing the approaching steps, she snapped around in a defensive pose but relaxed as quickly as it came.

“You got her! She is alive…?”

Rhys nodded, losing some grip as John held even tighter to his daughter.

With a nod, Maya stated, “I will congratulate you later, we must proceed. No other immediate exits can be found. The longer we wait, the more time they have to retaliate.”

Rhys momentarily wondered if Maya had military training, even in such a panic she was calm and collected, he powers flowing freely but not nearly as wild as his or Liliths. The inferno siren did not relent her attack on the door, her words slurred but there were mentions of a “Roland” on her lips.

Maya sighed. “This door is barred and seemingly impassable. We must reroute and find a new course…”

Rhys looked to John and gently left Angel in his care. He stepped to the door, powers humming again but this time, he could feel synapses crackling in his echo port. Images flashed in front of his face, broken, static but it was creating _something_.

He could wonder how _the hell_ he was doing all this later (or how he even knew he could), as he put a hand on the locked terminal of the door. He knew how to hack code and he was pretty good at it. But this was new, this was his actually being going into the framework, he could feel his energy passing over circuit boards. It was a part of his consciousness skating over these inhuman systems. It was deep, so long, so far. He felt like he could just disperse synapse by synapse and travel these waves for eternity.

A hand on his shoulder that jolted him out of his path, and thankfully so. Who knows how deep he would have gone, just to explore and feel so _free._ Especially after so long in this containment.

_Focus, focus…_

“Ah!” He exclaimed, and could even feel a small goofy smile on his face, and when was the last time he could say he did that? It was like feeling a key clicking in a lock, but he was the only one to feel it as the door started doing as he commanded and pulling away layer by layer.

No time for thanks or admiration as bullets started spraying through the opening gap. There were some exclamations of aggression sent Rhys way, as he was sure it was from not properly warning them all of his actions. He had been too excited and wrapped up in his discovery to vocalize what he had been doing to the lock.

The threat was minimal for three sirens, though. Maya blocked the bullets, each shell clanking to the floor as she floated closer and closer the soldiers hunkered behind some crates, pushing them into a chokehold position. To watch their faces warp to fear was _exhilarating_.

Lilith was behind her, the air around her ablaze without fuel. Before Rhys, John and Angel could even enter the room it was cleared out. What a blessing awaited them.

In a tidy line, there were military vehicles, some propped up for repair but quite a few were ready to go. They were large and intimidating, covered to protect from Pandoran sun and Pandoran bullets.

Shouts were starting to echo behind them, “Re-enforcements…” Maya mumbled, but then turned to the others with a booming voice. “Grab what you can, we are leaving.”

Rhys helped John and Angel into the back of one truck, then moved to fill the back with as many guns, ammo, and supplies they could find. When running footsteps started getting too close for comfort, they piled in, all starting to pant and sweat with effort.

They sat for a moment but nothing happened.

“Well? What are we waiting for?! Start the damn car!” Lilith shouted, clutching herself as she spits the loud words. In a much more confined space, it hurt Rhys ears to her her heightened pitch.

“There's no key! There’s no ignition! How does it start?” It was more worrying to Rhys that Maya was screeching back, panic evident.

“ _You don't know how to drive?”_

“I know how to drive but this car doesn’t have a fucking--”

They shouted at each other with increasing speed. It was making Rhys’ head spin, or maybe it was just how it was all catching up to him. Had his hair follicles always hummed like this…?

John punched him. Hard and square in the jaw. He had been shouting at them all this whole time, but his voice was like that of one lost in a hurricane. Rhys recoiled from the force but it hadn't even hurt.

John was pointing to a console on the center console, waving his arm frantically. Any care of the punch he just received was gone, Rhys relaying the muted message.

“The console! Turn it on, go!”

“What the hell--” Rhys jumped between the two front seats and stabbed a finger onto the screen. It jumped to life, and the quickly followed the prompts until:

“It wants a password.”

“So? Didn't you just hack that locked door?”

Yeah, he did. But he couldn't feel this, he couldn't feel the car like he did the building. There was no _connection_ and he didn't know how to make one. He could hack it, with the right tools and time but--

“I-I-I don-”

Just as forceful as the punch, John pulled him back by the hair. He exclaimed but more out of surprise than pain. With Angel’s head resting in his lap, John reached over her and at the console. With fast, muscle memory person, he inputted a very long passcode. In the end, the car roared to life.

Maya wasted no time to put a hand on the shift and a foot on the gas. The garage was only blocked by a thin door that they busted right through with little acceleration, leading into a long fully enclosed tunnel.

Their luck was not so simple, as this path was long but lit up, and at the end, there was a door much more worthy of keeping people out and others in.

“I don’t think we can just drive through that one…” Rhys offered, very unhelpfully.

“No shit.” Maya snapped at him. She didn’t slow down. “Lil, take the wheel.” Lilith did so without hesitation, leaning over and crossing a leg to put on the gas.

“Maya, what are _you doing?”_  

She didn't respond and she rolled down the window, leaning out the car.

Before Maya was out fully and climbing on the hood of the car, she shouted with another inhuman screech that was equally horrific and beautiful,  “Whatever you do _, do_ **_not_ ** _slow down!”_

Lilith was shouting back with every creative curse she could think, but never once decelerated. The car was now barreling down this tunnel street that was not even meant for such speeds. Rhys watched as the massive door before them grew closer. Maya crouched on the hood of the car, her hair snapping around her face in a frenzy.

Just as time had halted for just that breath when he slammed his fist down in the lab, it was happening again. The car was still moving, but he could no longer feel himself on his seat. If he could look at anything else he would have seen his hair slowly floating in front of his eyes and any debris rising up off the floor. Instead, his gaze was locked on Maya.

In her hands was a star, so bright and hard to look at but how could you look away. Her hands pushed together as if to compress the cosmic being and then pulled back with a snap.

A resounding _crack_ bellowed around them. If Rhys ever had to think of what the crust of the planet splintering open sounded like, he could recall this moment.

Just like that, the door was gone. They zipped right out of the hole, realizing just how _close_ they had been to a solid wall and how destroyed they could have been.

Sun. There was the sun. And sand. Rhys could have cried, how happy he was to see the god damned _sand_. They were out.

Large metal frame pieces started dropping from the sky, puncturing the ground as they raced farther and farther from the compound. Smoke could be seen leaving the tunnel, a dark hole in the ground that was the only proof anything had even been there in the first place.

It was no time to slow down, but he let himself have a sigh and slightly lean back in his seat. Maya climbed back in but on Lilith's original passenger side, herself moving to the driver's seat fully.

There were several moments of silence, only filled with panting and gasping. The light in the truck was dimming, all their marking dying slightly as their adrenaline started to wane.

The sun had started to dip, it was late evening but with Pandora’s long days they still had several hours until dark.

“Where are we going,” Lilith stated even though it was a question. For once her voice sounded human, if not a little worn out but one for a woman with lots of character. It fitted her.

“We don’t even know where we are. This could be any desert on Pandora…” Maya supplied, her voice too at a more comfortable level. Rhys’ heart fluttered. He had been with these women for weeks but never once heard their natural voices. There were screams of agony at times, Lilith had even braved a few roaring swears but other than that silence. He could have never pictured this is what they sounded like, but he bubbled slightly with admiration.

An idea, Rhys reached over to poke at the console again. It didn't take long for him to find a GPS signal.

“Do you know where that is…?” “Not a clue…” “I think it’s on the far side of--”

The two women in the front talked back and forth to each other, they had a sense of familiarity. Rhys had never known another siren before, being only 6 alive at once. Yet these two had found each other before. But hell, nowhere over half of the galaxies sirens were in one car.

They talked about their location, Rhys took a good hard look at the map and how their point was moving on it. He could have sworn…

“Wait…” He mumbled, flicking the map with a flesh finger and turning his head, so much so it was at a right angle. He was sure he was going to get a ‘ _What the hell._ ’ but he found it.

“I know where we are!”

With a sharp tap, a new marker was placed on the map.

“I know where we can go.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (/□＼*)・゜


	5. this isn't my skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags updated. Some slight dissociation and self-harm going on here.

The sand was starting to collect in the frames of the truck's windows. They had been plowing forward for hours, a nice path carved out for them by the GPS and Pandora’s naturally fairly barren deserts. The cover of late evening was starting to hide the tall trail of dust they were leaving behind them.

Eyes that were once darting around, scanning the horizon for any sign that they were being followed, slowly started to glaze over when time ticked by and when no retaliation was following. It was surprising, to say the least, but not argued or even mentioned.

Rhys found it very surreal to be able to tell the time again. The little glowing clock on the dash moved onwards until he could say that it took 3 hours and 17 minutes for the last of their glowing markings to dim. He could feel every minute again, every second, like he was back in his own skin. 

There were no words for how exhausted they all were, even with everyone jittering. A nervous tick even. When Lilith finally gave up her place behind the wheel to Maya (through a strange interaction of switching seats without slowing the truck down and simply climbing over each other). Finding one of the handguns that had been collected before their breakout, she meticulously taking it apart and putting it back together again, just to start the process over again when she finished. The sound of the metal scraping and clicking filled the small space.

Maya was gripping and releasing the steering wheel, only evident so by her bruised and bloody knuckles turning white then receding. She was staring dead ahead, eerily so, as she drove. She seemed not of this world, her gaze didn't shift over the purview. Eyes never flicking about her sights, still as stone and hazy. Still, she guided the truck with precision, the ride was smooth and steady thus far.

In the back, Rhys could watch John and Angel. Her breaths were deep and steady, a good sign at the least, but her face was scrunched together in a worry. She was pretty badly scraped up, though healing rapidly. They all were. Not as fast as in the lab to be sure, but faster than any normal one should from such injuries.

John was running his hand through his daughter's dark locks. The expression of his eyes was only one of worry. He would often reach his hand down to under her jawline, waiting. Then resume his care for her in silence. 

It was at that point when the evening was growing darker and stars started to litter the sky, Rhys started to feel...odd. This whole situation he was in was odd in itself, being captured to be a lab rat and then breaking free with forces close to grenades. At first, he thought it was his mind catching up to his body. It was the prickling in his skin that made him feel otherwise.

It started like when you feel like a limb has gone to sleep, but only kept growing. His skin started itching, like something under the epidermis was pulsing and wanting to breathe. To get out. 

His metallic hand ran over his arm, dusting the markings that were still warm to the touch. He prodded at some scrapes, mostly closed up just still a little swollen and puckered. He reached to feel his stomach that still had some warped skin from being assaulted, he was sure the skin was white like scars from the feel, but it was too dim in the truck to tell for sure. 

No, it was how his skin thrummed, almost sang to him. It was so quiet at first,even as it grew in volume, he tried to ignore it. Time passed and his brushing fingers started to press a little harder until they were digging.

Small spots, just a pinch. Just a welt growing with pressure. His metal fingers felt nothing on the surface, but there was something satisfying about the feedback of the strain.

A pore popped open, small and oozing red blood. Rhys watched as it opened and closed, healing before his eyes. Rubbing the spot, he enjoyed the sore feeling that came back to him. 

It wasn't long until he was digging another.  This one he prodded and encouraged a little more blood out. Even in the low light, the color was haunting. There seemed to be a shimmer of purple in this red,  _ red _ blood. As fast as it closed he was making a new wound, trying to scratch it wider. 

It was… fascinating really. He had no real reason to do this, other then he wanted to…? Did he? There was no real inclination either way but still he went at it. It felt kind of nice. To know he could still bleed, watching the little bits of the liquid pool on his skin. Parts just felt  _ wrong _ and they needed to be picked open. It was how he could make it right. How he could--

A hand grasped his metal arm, and Rhys hadn't even noticed he was shaking. The little injuries he was making were much deeper than he thought, following along his markings like a splotchy cutting outline. His metal fingers were greasy with his own gore.

John’s grip tighten on the metal arm as Rhys resisted. His head snapped to the man but he didn't look up from his daughter. His severed limb propped her up but his hand was gripped tightly to Rhys. 

It brought Rhys back, he could feel his clattering limb against John’s grip. It was like a current being grounded. He could hear the truck engines humming again, Lilith working with her gun. He could feel the seat under him and his feet on the floor. He could smell the sour stench of the five of them. It was real and he was here again.

John held onto that cybernetic wrist until Rhys stopped shaking, his breath coming out slightly normal again. Rhys had stared at John this whole time as if expecting some reaction. Some sign. The man just kept looking at his daughter's unconscious face, as if she could disappear at any moment. 

When they were apart again, however, John gave him a glance. Maybe it was because you couldn't see the rest of the man's face, Rhys never knew a set of eyes to tell so much of a story. It was a conversation in one fleeting moment.

Even with some serious injury to one orb, Rhys could tell John’s eyes were heterochromatic, kind of like his own. Though, his own was more forced by the limited choices for ECHO eye implant choices. At one point they both been a golden brown. A vibrant blue and a cloudy green were the pair that John had, and as tired as they were, they had a spark to them. There was fear, worry for sure, but there was determination. Rage even. Rhys could swear, though, he swore he could see a thankfulness in them.

 

_ You saved her when you didn’t have to. _

 

Rhys had no way of knowing if that was true at all, John looked away and the moment was over. 

Instead of pondering over, well, anything really, Rhys slumped and tried to drift to sleep.

 

\--

 

It was so dark when Rhys could pry his eyelids apart. They were so sticky and his lashes stuck together. 

What startled him was how quiet it was. A look around to find he was alone in the truck, the vehicle unmoving. 

Not a thought was processed as he burst through the car door, ready to fight, run, _anything._ His companions all turned to look at Rhys, who was standing rather ungracefully on one foot that he had used to skitter to a stop. He had to remember to drop his arms that he had raised over his head in a panic, he even knew he had some drool on his chin. 

“Looks like sleeping beauty is up and decided to join us.” Lilith's voice said but with little spite. For a face he had only ever seen in rage and anger, she seemed fairly content at the moment. They all did, relatively. He deflated and relaxed a little, even though still a little embarrassed.

Shuffling and plopping down to sit around the fire with the group. John and Angel were sitting more away from the other two, still holding onto Angel as if his life depended on it. Rhys knew if it was an unconscious friend in his arms, not even a blood-bonded family member, he would be doing the same. He couldn't blame the man in the least.

It seemed like a conversation had been going on before Rhys busted in, and so it continued between Lilith and Maya, John only mutely staring at the flames. Was Lilith the one keeping this flame alight?

“It was just so unreal, I have never felt so much power before.” Maya was saying, her face worn down but her voice had a little spark of awe in them. 

“I know, I  _ liquified _ a guy! I mean, I have had to burn a few bandits before, but nothing like ‘Poof’ gone.”

“Do you think it was that stuff they were pumping into us? It had to be the Eridium right?”

“I've seen some pretty screwed up critters that come from mining camps, this stuff has to be some powerful shit.”

Rhys piped in, “Why else would Hyperion even be giving a rats ass about Pandora? There has to be some profit to it…”

John huffed, seemingly his only way to express much. Lilith huffed right back, but with much more disgust than John had.

“That right.” She started, pointing an accusatory finger. “You are one of them, aren't you? You worked for that soul-sucking company!”

Maya sighed, “Lilith, not now… we can--”

“Yes, now!” She snapped, jumping to her feet, though exhaustion made her wobble on her feet a little. “This guy is the whole reason for this right? We were all hooked up to  _ him. _ Whatever shit he got into was big enough for them to get us, hell he  _ found us _ , right?”

“You don't really believe that stuff Tassiter was saying, do you?” Rhys said, leaning back from her rage. Their little fire was starting to grow and crackle before them. 

She let out a groan, “Oh come on. They have to be doing something insane if they need the powers of  _ four freaking sirens _ . How else could they track us all down? Maya wasn’t even on Pandora at the time!

“Mr. John here knows something,” Lilith pulled out the gun she had been cleaning earlier and pointed it right at the man's forehead, “and he's worth  _ nothing _ to them dead.”

“Lilith... “ Maya warned, but it was Rhys that shot up and stood between the gun and the man. John hadn't even flinched when the gun was drawn at him, his gaze as intense as ever. 

“Killer... _ move. _ ” Lilith seethed, the fire behind her growing tall, casting her in a horrific shadow. 

“Look, I get it. You're mad. Hell, we all are mad. But he was tied up too, and we still don't know why we were all there. John and Angel were there the longest, they have to know something. Let's just get where we are going, have a long rest. Everyone can get back to health and we can see what we can do about getting some answers.” He stumbled over his words as he tried to reason with the angry siren in front of him. “Okay…?”

She threw up her arms, letting loose a growl. “Fine,  _ fine.  _ But if I don't like what he has to say, he’s a dead man.” She stomped back to her previous position by Maya, the fire dying down to nothing more than embers. After a few deep breaths, it went back to being the tiny illumination of their temporary camp. She didn't let go on her pistol. Finger still on the trigger in the silent statement of how she was just begging for someone to make the wrong move. 

“We have to get that muzzle off him.” Maya interjected, “If he still has a mouth under that mask, that is.”

John grumbled, clearly not happy how they were talking about him like he wasn't there like he didn't just have a gun in his face. 

Rhys let out a sigh, turning around and looking at the metal contraption on the man’s face. John glared at him, Rhys could almost swear he heard a muffled snarl, it was so hard to hold back his eyes from rolling. A muzzled man growling like a dog.

“I think… I think I could remove it.” Rhys said, eyeing the bolts. They were placed on the man's chin and side of the face, parts even extending to his temples. The ones on the temples looked like little latches as if the whole thing could be brought up for access to the face underneath. The bolts, however, were very firmly inside Johns skull. Rhys wondered how long he had been like this, and how much healing was now around the bolts. 

“I would need the right tools… but I could try.” He was crouched by John now, keeping a distance not to crowd him and Angel. 

It was a long, long gaze they held. It made Rhys' heart speed up, just out of anxiety of the intensity of the moment. He wondered what the rest of the face looked like, would it be this powerful as a piercing set of eyes, sharp, however, broken, eyebrows. The was etching of deep scarring that went over his brow, dipping into the light green sclera of an eye injured by that cicatrice. 

Rhys waited for some sign. Maya and Lilith were no longer paying attention to the exchange, talking about supplies they had and rationing. 

His voice came out smaller than he expected, “I’ll only take it off if you let me.”

A single brow started to rise on the man's face as if he wasn't expecting such. It took another moment, Rhys fidgeting in this almost staring match, it was as if they were trying to assert some sort of primal dominance.

It was quick, a blink could have missed it, but John nodded. There was a breath he didn't know he had been holding as Rhys relaxed. He even found a smile on his lips, it stretching in a way it hadn't for so long.

The siren sat down beside the father, daughter pair, still a good distance away. 

“I’m glad.”

 

\--

  
_ Just who the hell is this kid…? _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I said this was a slow burn, I mean that it's going to take like 6 chapters before one of the main characters can even talk lol. I am probably putting way too much detail in, but it's kinda how I'm picturing the story so far. Gonna do my best to keep this trucking along.
> 
> I am trying hard to keep to character, letting it shine through when they are not like in crisis mode. I never knew how hard it would be to have a silent character (and an unconscious one). Let's hope he gets free soon ;)
> 
> Also, I am not a huge canon Lilith fan, but in this AU I want to make sure I don't hate on her. She is not the bad guy. Angry, sure, but I feel she has the right. I wanna do my best to give these guys some justice.
> 
> Thank you, thank you for all the nice comments and kudos. I'm so happy people are enjoying this story so far. I hope I can keep you entertained as I work through the story! ( ˘ ³˘)～♡
> 
> Come find me at oblivion-is-destiny.tumblr.com


	6. damage control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tagged for gore and blood.

“This is it?”

“Yep!” Rhys said with a pop of his lips.

He was excited, though he wasn't sure how he could feel such. His body was hurting so bad, his very veins were aching. Through the drive, he had found himself picking at his skin multiple times, but John just starting giving gruff grunts to snap him out of it before it got as bad as the first time. His skin was now freckled with little white stars of scars that he caused himself. They were pale in comparison to all the scars he was growing from his time in Hyperion containment. He still had no idea why he was attacking his skin so.

They were all starting to grow hungry again. It was almost its own torture of their freedom, to feel all the human symptoms and with great intensity. In all the supplies they grabbed, not a single one was any type of food. The truck was full of guns and bullets, some grenades and even a few shields, but not a thing to eat. Or drink. Good _god,_ his throat was so dry it hurt to even speak.

It had taken a solid twenty hours, but they had made it. They got lucky that the gas held out for so long, the dial heading into the red on the meter. That didn’t matter anymore. They were _here!_

Lilith and Maya showed an exponentially less excitement for the ‘here’ then Rhys did, considering they were parked in front of, well, nothing.

It was a spot in the desert like like the million other spots they had passed. The pair started to wonder if they should take bets. Was it that dead shrub that was so exciting, oh no wait, it could be this rock! The solid bet being Rhys must have fried his brain when he fried the lab.

Rhys bounded out of the car, completely losing his footing as he tried to scramble to a run. His long lanky legs pushed at the sand until he was on his feet again.

“Holy shit, I never thought I would make it here ever again!” He was almost singing.

“Alright, I’m gonna say it. He’s gone completely nuts.” Maya said, still in the driver's seat and watching Rhys run about in the desert.

“Maybe we should just leave him, look how happy he is to be a complete lunatic,” Lilith said, drenched in sarcasm. Noone's expression, not even John’s was remotely amused.

Rhys was staring at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“Kid, get the hell back in the car! We don’t have time for this!” Maya shouted through Lilith’s open window. Rhys spun back around, waving his arms rather frantically.

“No, no, just give me a minute! I got this!”

“For fucks sake…” was mumbled, but the pair climbed out of the car to stand and watch Rhys. John scooted close to the window, grumbling lowly under his mask.

_Nevermind, this kid is bonkers._

That single rock that had been spotted, Rhys ran right up to it. He could kiss it, and he would enjoy the grainy rough feel that would be on his lips. However, he refrained, instead pushing on it, moving it forward a few feet.

Dropping to his knees, he used his metal arm to punch at the ground a few times, breaking the harder sand that had formed under the rock.

“Maybe he’s just had enough with the desert? Getting some revenge?”

“That patch of dirt single-handedly murdered his whole family, obviously.”

The woman continued to make quips at Rhys’ expense, growing less and less entertained. He punched the ground a few more times until he found what he was looking for.

“Ah!” A small panel appeared that took a little digging to reveal the dingy metallic surface. Now that was interesting, perking up his companions and they noticed him prying open the panel and pulling out a long cord with a yank.

The ground reverberated with that pull Rhys had just gave, smiling wildly. _Yes_ , it was still good to go. That saved getting in a long way, at least.

“Rhys,” Lilith said, using his name for the first time, “What the hell was that?”

The male siren did little to answer the question as he tugged the cord again, the ground rumbling but this time, it sounded more like something turning over.

“Almost…” Another tug, another grinding sound, louder, “got it…” , louder, “Just gotta--” and a roar. There was a sputtering to the clamor but the sound evened out to a consistent hum, gurgling loudly at first but then pacing itself out into a rhythmic resound that could almost be ignored over the desert sound. Miles away, a plume of smoke burst out of the ground and started to have a small pillar grow tall in the sky.

Rhys wasted no time, long legs once again scrambling across the ground like a stalker on tile flooring. Just a few steps, kicking his feet out with long paces, counting aloud.

It took a good twenty paces but Rhys was dropping to the ground again, digging with all eyes w on him as another panel was found, this time with a switch.

Immediately Rhys flicked it upwards and the ground shook once again, it was clear that gears were grinding somewhere below them. A mechanism was opening in the ground in front of them, sand and dirt flowing into this ever growing hole.

“Everyone…” He couldn't hold back the dramatic extension of his arm and a slight bow at his hip, even he laughing at how ridiculous he must look in his tattered medical clothing, covered in blood and dirt.

“Welcome, to safe house 4C dash B.” Rhys straightened himself, growing almost sheepish as looks of shock and amazement greeted him.

“Heh... Uh, come on in?” He ran his flesh hand through his hair and jumped down into the hole that was fairly full of sand, but it opened up into a hallway made of anything metal that could be welded together.

They followed cautiously, John opening his door on the truck, carrying his daughter as well as he could but not going down quite yet.

“Normally we would shovel the doorway out, but I think I will deal with sand in my floor this time.” Rhys babbled, walking down the hall that was lit up with small hanging bulbs. He reached a few doors that he opened with ease, though the passwords and programs on the locks seemed rather complex.

At one final door, all three now following him, he opened it and stepped in, “Don’t mind the mess… I haven’t been to this spot in months.”

The room was large, temperature cool. Even though it was underground the area was well illuminated, lights everywhere. It was obvious now that there was a generator running, that was what Rhys had been getting to start with the cord pulls.

Lilith inspected the place, breathing out “Holy shit, man…”

Maya stood with hands on her hips, taking in all the mechanical bits and bobs on every surface, even a few ECHO terminals. “Holy shit is right… As a Vault Hunter that has seen my share of things in this galaxy, you can call me impressed.”

“Beds!” Lilith exclaimed, letting herself fall face first into one of the handful that was scattered around the place. There were even couches and lounging chairs, all in a pretty decent shape other than it was patchwork and duct tape holding them together.

“There's a shower and stove too, and icebox if we had ice to keep it cool.” Rhys explained, still feeling so embarrassed. Not many people got to see their safe houses, it felt almost personal. The red head popped her head from the pillow she had smothered herself in, “Showers?!”

“It’s gonna take some time, it has to filter clean it and heat up but yeah there's--”

His words were stopped, Lilith had bound into his arms, wrapping tightly around him. He stood there in shock, _Lilith was hugging him_. He honestly couldn’t see her even giving polite handshakes.

A hand was on his shoulder, blue lines leading to a face with a smile, “Good job, kid.” Maya said. Rhys was so drained he thought he could cry, he wrapped an arm around Lilith and a hand on Maya’s.

They were safe.

A loud, throaty ‘Ah hem’ broke the little siren moment they had been having, all looking at John. He was straining to hold his daughter, still very unconscious.

“Fuck, of course!” Rhys broke away from the embrace to help the man carry the girl, “Over here, we have a room with a little privacy if you would like…” With a grunt of approval, he led the two there.

It was a super small room, big enough for a twin mattress on a rusting frame, but the sheets were clean enough. A stool was by the bed, currently a book and candles on it.

They placed Angel down carefully, her father tucking her in, holding a hand and rubbing his thumb on her pale palm. His fingers were still constantly searching for her pulse.

“I know we had a medkit here, I know it's no healing hypo but it should do something…” He was rambling again, rubbing his neck with his dirt covered cybernetic hand. “I’ll- I’ll go get it.”

Before John could even look at him, Rhys dashed out. Lilith and Maya were working on making a meal, filtering the water for drinking. He had really never said to raid his supplies, but he wasn't irritated much. He would be doing the same.

“You have a very good stock here, what the hell were you preparing for?” Lilith asked, chewing loudly on some skag jerky, cooking a large pot of rice.

Rhys crossed the room and pulled at a cabinet, it being filled with healing supplies. Mostly for bandaging wounds, but there had to be something to help someone who was knocked out.

“Anything… Everything…” Rhys replied in a mumble, “This isn't the first safe house we made all over Pandora. It was worth the effort to know there was a safe place to go to. We got lucky and were closer to one of the nicer ones.”

“We?” Maya asked, popping some protein cubes in with the rice. As much as they all would love to chow down, it was probably best to start slow.

Rhys gathered the supplies in his arms, stopping in the ‘kitchen’ before going back to Angel. “I guess… My family.” A deep exhale, he had given up on ever seeing them all again. How dreamlike it was to know he _could_ see them again. This whole being free and actually alive was taking some getting used to.

He grabbed a tall bottle of water that had been filtered and made his way back to the closed off area. Just before he could raise the curtain, a flashback of a memory filled his mind.

Now, since the escape, this happened often. The images of that time, not even that long ago etched into his brain. This, however, was not something he had ever thought of.

It was like he was watching the memory through a different set of eyes, how he was arching off the table that confined him, rising and then punding into the ground making the shockwave that blacked out the room. This memory grew blurry then, rolling to the ceiling and then just black.

Wait. That view was from a side of the room Rhys couldn’t even see from where he was placed, how could he remember that? It was more centrally located then where he had been, and he could see the back of John propped up in the middle of the room. The memory was also showing him monitors that he had never seen, even in the escape as he had destroyed it all. How could he--

No. No no no. _No._

Angel was hooked up to the system.

He was the one that hurt her. He blacked out the system… _and Angel._

Rhys felt sick, more so then his fatigue had been causing him. He hurt Angel. He couldn't even pinpoint how he had become so… attached to the girl, how he wanted to care for her in this way he only felt in ways that normally takes years of trust from others to accumulate. Even more, somehow. It almost felt maternal, as gross as that word sounded in his head.

He was shaking as he pulled back the curtain separating them. The lump in his throat only grew, seeing John holding Angel’s hand to where his mouth should be behind the muzzle with his one remaining hand. The mans eyes were closed and looked in anguish.

Rhys broke the moment with a choked sob, no tears created but the feeling ruptured over him. He quickly moved to the bed, placing the supplies by Angel but turning quickly,

“I’m so sorry. I-this is my fault. I didn’t mean to hurt her, oh _god.”_ His metal hand was digging into his eye. Why, _why_ couldn't he just cry and get this out. It was choking him.

It was a light touch on his flesh hand that broke him away, head swiveling to the man almost attempting to hold him. John looked conflicted at best, but when their eyes met, it was like he knew. Like he had known all along.

He didn’t hate Rhys.

John retreated back to himself, reaching for the supplies on the bed. He fumbled with the small bottle of alcohol to start cleaning his daughters wound, grunting with frustration at only having one hand. It seemed like it was also his less dominant one.

“Here…” Rhys mumbled, still choked on sadness, but there was still work to do. He soaked a few swabs of cloth with the fluid, handing one over, and they both worked on Angel’s wounds. Rhys made sure he stuck to safe areas on the young lady, mostly her arms and lower legs. He would never want to do anything to offend her, especially in this unconscious state.

John cleaned her face and worked on a few scrapes on her stomach and sides. Mostly they were clearing away dried dirt and blood, her wounds surprisingly better then any he had seen on himself or the other sirens. Not even a scar could be found in most places. She really was one of the most powerful sirens Rhys had ever come to meet, though all of the other ones he knew could be found in this safehouse this very minute.

She looked much better, calmer at least, though still a little dirty. She would need a bath at some point, but now was not the time. They all needed to bathe though, truly. It wasn’t as if they had been given privileges to wash themselves in the weeks in the lab.

Rhys handed John a pill and the bottle of water he brought. “Again, no healing shot, but if you can help her swallow it, it should help speed up reversing any...damage.”

John popped the pill in the girls mouth, working on rubbing her throat till a visible swallow was seen. Rhys hope, he begged, that he hadn't caused any damage that was irreversible.

The bottle of water was handed back, Rhys finally indulging in a long drink. He wasn't sure if he deserved it, ( _stupid, stupid)_ but he was _so_ thirsty.

It wasn't until he had almost half finished the bottle, almost gagging in the process and his body tried to accept the fluid, that he saw John staring at him. It was feral, but not really at him. The water.

“Oh shit!” Rhys jumped, realizing how thirsty John must have been. “Can I just…?” Vaguely gesturing at John’s mask. He tilted his head back and water was poured down the side of the muzzle.

Water leaked down the side of the contraption and down John’s chin, but a strained slurping could be heard. John almost panted trying to get as much as he could down.

When the bottle was drained, more of it on John’s flimsy clothing then in his mouth, Rhys asked, “Want to get that thing off…?”

John nodded very ferociously. He was ready to get out and _now._

Rhys only departed long enough to grab some tools, not venturing far enough to see the women but far enough to smell what they were cooking. It was like a punch to the stomach. _Soon._ Once John was free, they could all share a meal.

John actually met him in the hall this time, brining the stool and medical supplies there. It was like he didn't want his daughter to ‘see’ what needed to happen. Rhys knelt as John sat on the stool.

He cleaned a few tools, inspecting at a closer range that this was even going to work. He only had wrenches and a type of ratchet to remove the bolts, no automatic tools to make this process go any faster.

“This is going to hurt… pretty bad.” Rhys sated simply, but winced at even the thought of what he had to do. He wished he had some booze or _something_ to numb it, but with the man’s mouth blocked, there was not much to be done…

John huffed, a sharp nod and stared ahead with a determined expression.

Wondering where to even start, he guessed he would just work around. With a screw driver, he started slow, cleaning the hinges on the temple and unscrewing the latches to the mask. They unbolted easily, they were not into the flesh.

Easy part over, Rhys gripped the wrench against a bolt along the upper jawline, side of John’s face. Four bolts, that was all he had to get through. He lined up the wrench to the bolt, John’s eyes winching for a split second at even the pressure.

“Here goes...On Three… One… Two… Three!” He leaned into the bolt and it crunched as he turned it.

 _“Ahhhmmmmnnhhh”_ John shouted behind the mask, bending forward and making Rhys lose his grip.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry!” He pushed John back though, getting the wrench back on the bolt and another turn. If it was anything like any of the surgeries Rhys had gone through, cybernetic and on his flesh, it was best to just get it done. He hated forcing it but there was no glory in making this last longer then it should.

It didn't help that John was clenching his jaw against the whole situation, but he was trying his best to hold back screams. His eyes watered and breathing was labored. He was trying to get used to the sensation as the bolt was being _unscrewed from his bones_.

One was finally removed, the skin around it shouting red, leaking puss and bleeding. Rhys tried to dab it up, but in the end grabbed a solution in a tube that he pressed into the gaping hole. It would act to clot the hole and be a synthetic skin until stitches or _something_  could be done. How do you fix a hole in someone bones?

John grunted, heaving out as he got used to the pain of one screw being out. Rhys moved to the other side, not even asking if the man was ready. They started this, they would finish it.

The man didn't protest, but he did let unpleasant sounds fill his throat. The second came out easier the the first. Rhys had a momentary thought of how he was glad he wasn't squeamish, ad each bolt was clotted with bone fragments and flesh pustules.

Just two left, on John’s chin, both vertical to one another. Rhys started with the bottom one, perhaps being a poor choice as it seemed much more sensitive the others. The first twist just sent blood spurting onto his hands and clothes.

John grabbed Rhys by the hips, and he hadn't even noticed how in his concentration he had climbed right onto John’s lap.

Without thinking, he pulled the shaking man head up, carful of the new wounds on his face but looked sternly into eyes tight with pain.

“You are going to be okay John, we are going to get this thing off you.”

“Mmphak” John replied, trying to say something.

“Hold on, you can talk all you want when this thing is off, okay John?”

Rhys moved to the bolt again, turning it quickly and moving to turn again and again until it was out. John shook violently with each move, a muffled cry.

With the bolt out, John gripped Rhys face, startling him. The man almost brought their foreheads together in a headbutt and breathed out “Mmmah amme iph _maak”._

Rhys had no sweet clue on to what the man was saying, staring into the eyes so closely that they were crossing into one. They were both panting, Rhys still on the mans lap. John was bleeding, sweaty and shaking like he could pass out any second.

Rhys brought his hands to the mans face, it just felt right. They were holding each others faces and their foreheads were touching. “I got you, just one more. You can do this.”

John nodded, and let go, letting the younger man position himself so he could properly get the last screw. This one had to be just below the lips, the one for sure locking his mouth shut.

“ _I got you._ ” Rhys whispered, more to himself then anything and put weight on the bolt. The wench slipped right off. F _uck , fuck, fuck._

Apologies as he tried again, but it just wouldn't budge. He cleaned it multiple times, and each time he tried to force it, he was wearing down the bolts corners, making it more impossible with each try.

They were so close, John was almost free. Rhys could see his full face, hear his voice. God, so _fucking_ close.

This time, Rhys picked up the ratchet, and knew for sure how this would be the worst one now, how each clink of the tool turning would just vibrate through the bones.

It was this or try to solder it off, and they were too far now.

Surprisingly, John was silent, still breathing hard but let Rhys work, thumbs digging into his side. Rhys was sure he would bruise, but it didn't matter. _Clink, clink,_ it didn't matter, because the bolt was free.

Rhys stumbled as John pushed him off, landing with a thud against the wall and sliding to the floor. John turned hands on the muzzle and lifting it fall free with a rather goopy sound from his own blood.

“John? John, are you okay?”

After a raspy gasp there was a chuckle, one that made Rhys hair on his arm stand on edge.

“For fucks sake, kiddo, call me Jack.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know how long I have been waiting to get Jack to say that? 6 flipping chapters, that's what. I thought it would happen sooner, but nope. Also, you should know how much I practiced to know what Jack sounded like with the muzzle. "Jack, My name is Jack" LOL
> 
> I know I am updating fast, but that's how it goes right now :3c Please be patient if it ever gets slow, as I know that will happen at some point. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Kisses to any who want them ( ˘ ³˘)～♡
> 
> Come find me at oblivion-is-destiny.tumblr.com


	7. this truth has gone sour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of torture, self-harm, dissociation and gore, nothing super graphic, though.

It took a lot of mediating, but finally, everyone was in a respective bed and had shut up for the night.

Once it was found out that Jack could talk again, two angry sirens were jumping down his throat. They wanted answers, but all Jack just wanted a meal and water because holy fuck he was parched. He stopped into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, without any one's permission or grace, and plopped himself down on the couch to start eating away.

Rhys mostly just followed in shock. John- no, no,  _ Jack _ , could talk. Of course, he could, Rhys had figured that much, but he couldn't picture the sound that would come out of the man’s mouth. He was not disappointed.

It was when Lilith went to reach for Jack’s bowl of rice that things go heated, she was trying to remove the barrier that was between her and answers. Jack was almost spitting his food out of his mouth just to get his meal back, like a hungry predator guarding their kill.

Rhys intervened, saving Jack’s skin once again, “Can we just… eat? Relax a little…? He’s not going anywhere.”

“Oh, I know he’s not. I won’t let him.” Lilith grumbled, and at this moment Maya was sharing a same sneering expression. It seemed like her patience was running to an end as well.

The meal was awkward at best, with over zealous chewing and grunts. Rhys was just so tired, he could hardly care. The food in front of him looked so good for it being weeks since he lasts ate, but the feeling of it in his mouth made him nauseous. He chewed ever so slowly, and only swallowing what he had to. He knew at least something was better than nothing.

Jack at some point started stealing out of his bowl, a sign of Rhys just being too slow. Eventually, he simply pushed the bowl over to the man, who scarfed it down without a second of thought. Rhys maybe had an eighth of his portion and he felt like he could puke at any moment; how Jack was monstering both portions was a mystery.

When the bowls were clear, however, so did the temporary truce of silence. The bickering started up again, slow but growing.

It finally came out that Jack didn’t want to talk about it all until Angel was awake.

“What do you mean? Why do we have to wait? Who knows even  _ if  _ she’s going to wake up!” Lilith snapped, making Jack snarl. Rhys started feeling even sicker at the thought.

“She will. She’s my tough princess, tougher than you will ever know. Trust me.” It was a wonder that the man’s mouth was ever trapped away, the way he liked to snarl and show his teeth in some kind of power play. 

“Can- can we just…” Rhys started, not realizing how small his voice was. He gripped his head with a hand, digging into the ECHO eye, trying to let the coolness of his metal hand calm him. “Can we just let this wait until tomorrow…?”

Jack didn’t wait for a response, turning and grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch. He walked off towards the room where Angel was, but visibly less angry. Rhys could feel himself unwind a little at the thought.

Maya asked him if he was alright, and Rhys was sure he mumbled back something about just being tired. He wasn’t quite sure how he had gotten into bed, but it was his mattress. He knew just by the way it lumped and its view of the wall that was in front of him. He had purposefully put it in a corner at one point, if you put a blanket against the wall and around yourself it was almost like someone was at your back. Perhaps even some nights he would picture someone holding him when he was alone.

Tonight was not one of those nights. His mind was cloudy and he was shaking. He couldn't even feel his flesh hand as he held it in front of his face, visibly he was opening and closing it into a fist. But it wasn't him, he didn't feel like he was telling his hand to do that, it just was. It didn't take long before he was picking again, finding the scars of just a day ago and ripping them open. They didn't heal like they once did, he couldn't watch the skin close in on itself. So instead he watched the blood pool and pile in little bumps on his skin. Sometimes he would smear the little globs just to watch it paint his skin.

He couldn’t tell you when he fell asleep, but the important thing was that he did. 

 

\--

 

It was early evening the next day when Rhys could hear the soft footfalls of bare feet. He rose to find Maya and Lilith in the kitchen, puttering around to make some oatmeal. They must have found the stash of extra clothing, as they were both dawning mismatching and ill sized sweaters and baggy pants. The time of day was telling for their dire need of rest.

Maya was holding a cup of warm water, perhaps some tea leaves floating about in it but nothing special, “I would kill for a good cup of coffee…”

“Or maybe some whiskey… you know, the kind with cinnamon in it?” Lilith mumbled back, she had her bowl of gooey oatmeal in front of her, leaning into Maya as they lounged on the couch.

“You are disgusting,” Maya said with a straight tone, but her eyebrows raised to show she was joking.

Rhys plopped himself down in a chair, running a hand through his hair. He was still so tired but he couldn’t just sleep his life away. There were things to be done.

“‘Sup?” Lilith asked when she noticed Rhys, Maya asking politely how he was doing. Rhys wondered how much the siren actually cared, or was she doing it more out of social construct or something.

Their conversation was light, all remarking on their soreness and pains. Rhys once again found his hand dusting his scabs, he had to remind himself to pull away. Through a little observation, it seemed he wasn't alone in collecting new nervous habits.

Maya was leaning against her arm, a hand in her hair. It was gripping and tugging slightly, only to release. Every once and awhile she would pull her hand free to make a face at all the loose blue strands between her fingers. She would try to pat down any wild outliers of hair before she started the process again.

Lilith couldn't seem to sit still, stretching often. Sometimes in wide arches, cracking her back with hands behind her head, sometimes smaller like flexing her wrists. She seemed like she was anxious to get somewhere, to do something. There were a couple of moments, however, he noticed her moving too fast for just a stretch, like a flinch, snapping joints away from her body only to pull them back.

They were all noticing these things, but no one had anything to say about it just yet. It made Rhys wonder how Jack and Angel were holding up, he thought about going to see them, but the thought was cut short when he heard footsteps from down the hall.

It was when he could distinctly hear two sets of scuffling feet that he perked up, moving to stand. From the doorway, he saw a set of blue eyes that he had almost convinced himself he would never see again.

Now everyone was on their feet, making room so Angel could sit on the couch. There were soft questions, did she need anything? Would she like something to eat? Drink? A blanket? Angel nodded a yes to all, a small but tired smile on her face. Jack sat beside his daughter, with an arm around her shoulder to keep her steady.

The women were excited, saying how happy they were that she was okay. Jack couldn’t hold back the remark of an “ _ I told you so.” _ with a smug look sent Lilith’s way. She just rolled her eyes to that.

Angel seemed a little overwhelmed while she tried to take it all in. The group explained what had happened while she was out, though keeping the topic as light as possible. There were no details skimped on, however, when it came to Rhys’ discovery of the safe house. ‘Doofus’ was an eloquent adjective used the describe him in that moment. From that point on, it seemed like a game to try and remember anything remotely dorky Rhys had done since they had all known each other, even Jack didn't hold back.

Rhys blushed hard, though he did laugh at it all, smiling even wider when Angel let out a few giggles of her own. Even with this conversation of jabs, it was obvious to an extent that they were fond of him.

“I’m so happy we are all safe.” She remarked quietly, with a sigh of relief. It almost seemed like she didn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

“Angel,” Maya started, “look, I know you are tired, but we have been waiting and we would really like to know what's going on.” It was a soft tone, not like the ones sent Jack’s way for demands for answers. Perhaps there was some kinship going on between the sirens.

“Yes, I can’t imagine how frustrating this must all be…”

“Pumpkin, you don’t have too--” Jack tried to say, but Angel just lifted a marking painted hand to stop him.

“It’s okay, Dad.”

They all moved to sit around her, Angel specifically patting the seat beside her for Rhys to sit down with the two of them on the couch. Rhys didn't miss the odd look that Jack sent his way, but it didn't stop him from sitting down next to her.  She leans into her father and lets out a sigh, the start of a long story.

For a brief moment, she was just thinking, the silence thick. You could hear the hum of the safehouse, the generator running, the buzz of the overhanging light fixtures, a slow trickle of water through pipes.

“I would...like to apologize.”

“Angel, sweetie, no--”

“No, Dad,” She said firmly, Jack looking a little sour for having been interrupted twice, but let her continue. Rhys watched as one of Jack’s hands went to his large scar on his face, lightly picking at the rough skin.

“Tassiter was not lying, but it wasn’t my Dad who found you all. It was me. This  _ is _ my fault.”

Jack sputtered, but Angel held firm. There was a gleam in her eyes much like her fathers, a power and determination behind them.

“To start from the beginning… When Dad--Jack, found out I was a siren, he spent countless waking hours trying to find out what would be best for me. We lived in Hyperion issued apartments at the time and there was little I could do training wise to help me control my powers. There was no one we could really reach out to.

“Jack found out about the Vaults, how they were filled with wonders and alien powers. They were linked to this siren mutation, and how there had to be some answers in the artifacts.

“He gathered resources, stemming from Hyperion when he was set in the Hyperion space station, Helios. In this time he… Worked on making a safe room… For me to stay in…” Her voice trailed a little as she let the last sentence out.

Jack moved to cup his daughter's face with his one hand, turning her head lightly so they could lock eyes “Baby girl, I know I have said this before, but it was really only going to be temporary. It was just to keep you safe, I promise that's all it was. It… wasn't supposed to happen like this.”

“Safe room, huh?” Lilith said, mirth in her tone.

Angel continued, “Yes, it was a large enough space, and it was quite comfortable to live in… but it was essentially a containment unit.”

“You put your own daughter in a fucking  _ cage? _ ” The temperature in the room raised enough to be noticeable.

“He didn’t put me in there, I went in willingly. Dad visited almost every day, and in time we found out how to use my powers to an extent. To be useful, I helped in finding resources and even found a team of Vault Hunters. It wasn’t... _ ideal _ , let's say, but it was a way to get things done.

"Because the closer we got to the Vault… the closer we could… we could…”

She whispered in a tiny voice, “The closer we were to be a real family again.”

Jack closed his eyes tightly, age and worry lines growing deep as he buried his face in his daughter's black hair. He left a small kiss on the top of her head. Rhys felt this pang in his chest after digesting such news. It didn’t surprise him, though, or even anger him. It was like he knew all along, and was only saddened by the resurfaced memory. It was… odd, to say the least.

“How does that get us to where we are now, though…?” Maya asked, in a kind tone but pressing.

Jack pulled his head back, answering for his daughter, “Well, we found it.”

“The Vault…?” Rhys asked in a tone of wonder. In that moment he realized he may have been the only person in this room to have never even been in arms reach of such a legend like a Vault, Maya and Lilith were Vault Hunters, after all. He had heard rumors of their tales before in passing.

“Yep. A Vault. The Vault of the Sentinel to be precise. There was so much alien crap on that moon, we could have been millionaires just from selling and studying the freaking floor stones in that place. But, no,  _ nope. _ That wasn’t enough for big ol’  _ Handsome Jack _ here.” His tone was self-deprecating at best. A frustrated thought he must have worn smooth by the reoccurrence of it. The moniker he used for himself was said in the most foulest of tones.

“What did you find?” Maya asked, continuing to press but much less sympathetic now.

“Ya know nothing much, the usual Vault shit. Legendary guns, lots of cash and moonstones. Oh, and how about this, all the combined knowledge of the universe. Past, present, and future, baby.” He was speaking in a light tone, but his face was deadly serious.

Lilith spat, “What the hell does that even mean?”

“It means what I said, sweetheart. There was a relic in that Vault. It was all pretty floating about and I just had to get my hands on it. In that moment, I could see everything. I could see it all.”

“Everything?” Rhys asked, not even comprehending what that could mean.

“Kiddo,  _ everything.”  _ Jack even sent a wink in Rhys’ direction, though his face was still pretty somber.

“Impressive,  _ if _ it's true.” Lilith said, clearly  _ un _ impressed, “Still, doesn’t explain this whole shit show we got going on here.”

“Right, right, hold onto your burning panties there,” Lilith growls at Jack, who in turn actually warps his face into a beaming smile, mocking her. “Anyway, blah, blah, blah so now I know everything that could be known while I am being powered by this relic. Pretty fucking sweet, right? Any problem that I would ever need to be solved, I could do it, my little Angel here being the first one. Just imagine, how that power could help people? Help Pandora and your bandit and freakish monster problems. I could have been a hero.”

It was almost like he expected some sort of praise or at least some  **enthusing reaction**  for his revelation to them. He was only met with grumpy looks, in turn, he sighed and waved them off with a rise of his arm around Angel’s shoulder. “ _ Anywho _ turns out Tassiter had been tracking me since I left Helios, though not until the last minute or so. Angel here would have been able to catch him otherwise.”

Angel explained while jumping back into the story, “While they were in the ruins, I was unable to send the message to them. I saw the interception and was too late to do anything about it.”

“So this bastard comes in, right? The god damned idiot has no idea what he’s even looking at, orders soldiers to break me away. As a prize, I get this  _ glorious _ brand on my face and Hyperions number one lab rat! Hell, I should have gotten that monogrammed on a mug.

See, they wanted to know what I know, but because of their little fuck up, it wasn’t that easy. Like, I still have this...Knowledge but uh… um… Angel, I think you could explain this better than I could.”

“Right.” She sat up a little straighter, “The information transfer was broken when they messed up Jack’s connection with the relic. The information was stored in his mind, but there wasn’t enough time for the synapses of his brain to bridge the gaps. It is like having a hard drive of data, but no cord to make the drive useful.”

“My little star, you got it. So, Hyperion tried to forcibly  _ make _ these connections. They wanted this data out and tangible, something to use. It wasn’t like I would give it to them, even if I knew how. It was driving me just as insane to know that I could have all the resources I ever needed right in my own flipping  _ brain _ , but I just  _ couldn’t get to it. _

So Hyperion, which I could write a nice comment card on their fucking  _ employee loyalty _ . I mean, shit, I had been working under them since I could type a line of code, I had worked my way up the ladder with hard work. Right out the window,  _ expendable _ .”

Jack was starting to huff as he was going on his rant, so Angel started up again, “At this point, it had been two months since I lost contact with Jack and the Vault Hunters. Since I was in the containment unit, no one knew where I was--”

“And it should have stayed that way, it would have kept you safe…”

“I couldn't let myself just live there forever, Dad. Not knowing where you were or what happened was driving me mad! There was nothing I could do from in there, and I had to do  _ something.  _ It wasn’t like anyone else could have come after you!”

The conversation between the two was escalating, emotions running high.

“Look, I know, darling, but if you  _ had _ stayed, they wouldn’t have hurt you like they did.”

“But it's all fine how they hurt you, no,  _ tortured _ you? Jack, you needed help!”

“Angel, you didn’t exactly help me, now  _ did you _ ?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, you could see Jack trying to reel them back in with panicked breaths. It was done and out in the open now. Angel spent no time shifting away from her father, shoving off the arm around her. She scooted over until she was leaning against Rhys, reaching and holding his metal hand. Rhys felt the award atmosphere grow, Jack’s eyes, as well as the others, watching the exchange. He felt weird being this barrier between the two, but as she held his hand, he could swear he tasted familiarity of the situation.

Jack glared at Rhys as if he knew something that Jack didn't.

“That's why this is my fault.” Angel said, not a waver in her voice, but her hand gripped a little tighter around Rhys’.

“Now hold on--” Maya got up just then, a hand towards Jack and pushing him back as he had tried to turn to move forward, Jack’s attempt at redemption smothered.

“Uh uh, enough out of you for a while,” Maya said, Jack leaning back with a huff close to a pouting child.

They waited for Angel to continue, “I hacked into Hyperion, found new signals and traces that were never there before, and they were taking a large amount of power and data storage resources. I could only hope it wasn’t a coincidence. I started leaking information from my hacks, not covering my tracks completely until I saw that they were backtracking to my location. After that, it was only a matter of time before they came to me in person.”

Rhys made a note that he would love to sit down and talk shop, with code and computers with Angel at a later date. He had hacked a few things in his time, but never quite so skillfully as she obviously had.

“When they found me and broke in, I demanded to be taken to Tassiter. Once there, I demanded to see my father. I should have known at the time it wouldn't be this easy, but he did do as I asked. For the first time in four months, I saw my father again.

“Tassiter was…  _ excited _ that he now had some access to a siren. I didn’t realize this until much later, though when it was too late.”

Jack spoke again, ignoring the glaring looks to tell him to  _ ‘shut the hell up’,  _ but his voice was much softer this time. “You never did tell me what he did to you, Angel… sweetheart.”

“I handled it.” The sentence firm and not even pondered over as she continued.

“Tassiter held up his end of the bargain, I was able to see my Dad, though he was still restrained I was able to go about the lab with only some supervision. I wasn’t allowed to leave the compound, though, as the days passed the grip on me grew tighter.  

“‘Don’t you want your daddy to succeed? To do great things?’ That's what the vile man told me. He treated me like some child. They started asking me to do things, to use my abilities. Jack kept saying to tell them, no, and I did at first. It was easier then.

At that point they muzzled him, so he could stop  _ ‘inflencing’  _ me. I had to watch as they drilled that monstrosity into his face. I watched as my father passed out from pain.”

Angel’s free hand was gripping into a fist, her hold on Rhys fighting. He took his flesh hand and put it over her grasp, and she exhaled. The horror of this story continued on without pause,

“He said, he told me… ‘How much would you give to make this all stop?’ I stood strong, like I was raised, to not give in.

“That's when they started hacking off his arm. It was by every few inches, there was so much blood. Dad… Dad your screams. I know you were saying don’t give in. But they got all the way to your elbow, I couldn't stand it.”

A breath, “ _ ‘How much would you give to make this all stop?’ _

Everything.”

Through a rush of words and emotion, she explained how she gave in. How they hooked her up, how they found ways to route her power and force it to start finding the data in her father's mind. They were using her as a tool to slowly chip away at the sea of information.

She explained how they found material that explained about Eridium, and how that started Hyperions mission of mining the element. It wasn’t just some stone, it had energy to it, power. It was one of the most valuable resources that were known to man.

This process, however, had taken a good month to uncover the clues and compile it into something useful. It was just too slow for Hyperion and Tassiter. They needed more power. Even after infusing Angel and Jack themselves, that made the workflow increase exponentially, it still wasn't  _ enough. _

“So, that's when they started the search for more sirens. That's how I was able to find you all and lead them to you. Even if you were in hiding, not letting your siren powers be known.” She eyed Rhys momentarily.

Taking both hands into her lap, and sitting straight so she was leaning on no one, she bent her head and said in a clear voice. “I am truly sorry for all the pain I have caused.”

Silence. Nobody moved, you could bearly hear breath being taken in, other than Angels own rapid intakes, trying to hold back her tears.

Lilith was the first to move, standing on her feet and walking over to Angel. Both Jack and Rhys flinched, worried some harm may come to Angel, but instead the siren knelt before the young woman and took her marked hand in her own marked one. It was almost as if the tattoos were continuous, even though they were from different bodies.

“Listen, we get it. At least I do.” Angel dared to look into the shimmering yellow-orange eyes that Lilith owned, “You were doing what you could to survive and protect the ones you love. I am sure every one of us has had to do that, hell, on all of Pandora. It's how we can even exist.”

Angel’s straight face finally twisted, a rushed out sob coming from her mouth. She had been so worried, but the truth had to have been told. Lilith took Angel into her arms, Maya coming behind them and placing hands on their shoulders. Rhys reached out and took Angel’s hand again.

In the middle of this siren moment, Lilith did mumble out, “Now, I’m not gonna say I am happy about all this, but we have to admit how  _ awesome _ we all are as a team of sirens, am I right?” They all shared a small laugh, Jack still sitting back and watching this all unfold, kind of being the fifth wheel at the moment.

They separated, tears still glowing in Angel’s eyes but a small smile on her face.

“So, what do we do now?” Maya asked.

“Well, we--” Angel started but there was a thump of a sound overhead.

“What was that?” Lilith and Jack both spouted at the same time, also sharing the same look of disgust for the other.

There was a grinding and the roar of the engine outside the room turning over, much smoother than it had for Rhys but it was no doubt  the same one. Rhys was  _ positive _ that he had locked the safe house down, and besides, only a few select souls on this planet could ever get in.

Rhys tried to calm everyone down with that fact, but their fight-or-flight instincts were kicking in, and no one was running.

“Shit, killer, where are your guns?” Lilith asked as there was the metal scrapping of the front door being opened. It's fine, there were doors before this intruder that had complicated locks, not one could get through--

Except that were the sound of the first door clanking open and its hinges squeaking. Like there wasn’t even a pause in an effort. It’s fine,  _ this is fine. _

“I-I-Maybe-Uh” Rhys stuttered out, but Maya had already pulled a duffle bag out filled with guns they had from the lab. She passed one out to everyone, who in turn took cover behind the tables and couch in the room. Rhys just stood in the middle of the room staring down at the gun then back at the door.

“Fucks sake, kiddo! Get behind cover!” Jack shouted.

No, no this wasn't right. The next door opened and stomps, loud and rhymic could be heard that reverberated through the floor.

Wait a minute-- “Get down!”

The last door opened and Jack was on top of Rhys, pushing them both as flat as they could be on the floor. Rounds of bullets could be heard going off overhead, all aimed at the open door and whoever was walking through it.

What met them was only an unsatisfying sound so metal dining, this large metallic  _ thing _ all in a hard-edged ball.

“ _ Ouch. _ ” It said, voice mechanical.

“Wa-wait, wait,  just wait everyone!” Bullets continued, “I said  _ STOP IT _ !” Rhys' voice echoed through the room, sending a visible wave that luckily did no harm, but was enough to feel the static between one's hairs. Jack tumbled off the younger man and backed away as Rhys ran to the complaining pile of scrap.

“Loader Bot…?” Rhys asked it, and in turn, robotic arms peeled away from its central hull, revealing a large LED eye peripheral. The bot seemed to scan Rhys for a moment before hastily coming undone from its self-made ball, standing tall enough to bump the roof of the room.

“Righteous father! I have found you!” This Loader Bot said, moving to make a thumbs up with jerky movements of its arms and fingers. It was a large FIX bot, you could tell by the outer casing of the robot, but it obviously had some patchwork and modifications made, the most obvious being the darker Hyperion branding being covered by a coat of yellow paint, even though it was chipping away in places.

The robot moved a hand to Rhys’ head to give him a not-so-gentle pat, Rhys swearing he could hug his robot friend. “L-B! How did you even get in here?”

“I had some assistance.” Loader Bot replied, turning towards the doorway. Rhys leaned over so he could see what the robot was talking about. There was a flash of panic when he could see a barrel of a gun pointed his way, but the hair and goggles from behind it were more of a heart stopper anyway.  _ This means… _

“Rhys! You are alive!” The person in the hall bounded towards him, leaping into his arms. Rhys did not have the grace to capture his attacker, and they both fell on the floor. Only sounds of laughter could be heard, though.

“Oh my god, oh my  _ god. _ We thought you were dead! How is this real? How are you here?” It was still a bear grip of a hug, but eventually, they pulled away.

“Good to see you too, Sasha.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> makes trumpet noises with my mouth, throws this at you all and then runs away
> 
> ( also makes kissy faces at all you lovelies, you make my heart go mush with the nice comments and kudos. thanks so much, i really mean that <3 )
> 
> also also, i would still super love some help beta-ing, I am kinda running out of steam on how to get from one point to the other. if you would like to help, even just for a chat about ideas, come chat with me: oblivion-is-destiny.tumblr.com


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